Theo Megarhiotis, Nick Psihogios, David Butten, Andrew Sanders, Jack Nguyen and Nicholas Tong are some of the Springvale Plaza Shopping Centre traders rapt with VCAT’s decision paving the way for an ALDI store. 45292 Picture: Stewart Chambers.
By Lia Bichel
TRADERS at Springvale Plaza Shopping Centre say the centre may finally get the facelift it needs, after VCAT paved the way for German supermarket ALDI to become its latest addition.
Jack Nguyen from Springvale Plaza Shopping Centre restaurant Khe Sanh, said he was rapt when he learned the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) sided with the majority of traders to allow an ALDI store in the Springvale Plaza.
“We are so grateful,” he said.
“We always wanted ALDI to be (at the centre). The centre needs a facelift.”
Mr Nguyen said the plaza had been “dead for a long time”.
“We are struggling a lot. If ALDI was here it would bring a lot more people to the centre,” he said.
“It would be beneficial for business owners as well as resident, who will be able to shop for cheap groceries.”
The fight for ALDI began almost four-and-a-half years ago when it approached the body corporate to open a supermarket on site, David Butten from Khe Sanh said.
There were two opponents to the application.
Mr Butten said the VCAT hearing began in October last year, with a verbal decision made in November and an official decision made last month.
“It was four-and-a-half years of hard work and frustration, but it has paid off. This is a major hurdle out of the way,” he said.
“We are very pleased the outcome which paves the way for ALDI to apply to the Dandenong council for a permit.”
Mr Butten said ALDI research estimated the supermarket would bring an extra 300,000 people to the plaza per year.
“That’s a major boost for traders,” he said.
“If all goes well, we will have an ALDI in the plaza in the next 12 to 18 months.”
An ALDI spokesperson said they viewed the decision as a “positive outcome.”
“We look forward to progressing discussions and to lodging a planning application in the future,” the spokesperson said.
